African music received one of its central instruments, the xylophone, from Indonesia, following a migration about 1, 500 years ago.

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Over the centuries various forms of the xylophone spread throughout the African continent, revolutionizing most of the musics they touched.

FORBES: Fifth Anniversary

Instead, a eclectic mix of instruments are listed, like the glockenspiel, vibraphone, grand marimba, theremin, oboe, viola, banjo, trumpet, trombone, xylophone, piano, and autoharp.

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And if you took apart sort of the triangle or the xylophone or whatever, it would still be a really, really strong songwriting at the core.

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Later the xylophone found its way into the New World music of the slaves, the music of the Central and South American Indians, and the European symphony orchestra.

FORBES: Fifth Anniversary